More than 90 international delegates representing 22 countries are gathering in Livingstone, Zambia, this week for a three-day global meeting to improve access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services in hospitals and health centres.

Globally, an estimated 896 million people use health care facilities lacking water services and 1.5 billion use facilities with no sanitation services. More than 1 million deaths each year are associated with births in unsanitary conditions and infections account for 26 per cent of neonatal deaths and 11 per cent of maternal mortality.

The United Republic of Tanzania is among 11 countries that contribute 55 percent of new malaria cases globally according to WHO Malaria report published in 2018. The national HMIS data showed that malaria related deaths decreased from 20per1000 cases in 2014 to nine per 1000 cases in 2018. However, this has not taken Tanzania from the list of high burden countries.

Addis Ababa. 10 September 2019 – On 5 September 2019, Ethiopia disseminates the results of a case report for Investment in prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs): a cost-benefit analysis including considerations on the impact of khat. The dissemination workshop took place at Jupiter International Hotel, Addis Ababa with the presence H.E Dr. Amir Aman, Ethiopia’s Minister of Health, representatives from the Ministry of Health, World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), other relevant stakeholders and the media.

Bagamoyo, 2-7 September 2019: The National Malaria Control Programme in Tanzania with support from WHO and the Roll Back Malaria Partnership organized a five-day stakeholders meeting to chart out a road map towards elimination of malaria in the country.

One of the public health challenges in low-medium income countries is lack of capacity to process data into information to support evidence-based decision making. This was pointed out by Dr. Yonas Tegegn Woldemariam the World Health Organization Country Representative in Uganda while opening the on-going two weeks training on antimicrobial resistance. 

Abuja, 7 September, 2019-The Federal Government, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and partners, is launching a Yellow Fever (YF) reactive vaccination campaign, in three States to help control an expanding YF outbreak in Nigeria identified in Ebonyi. 

Abuja, 7 September, 2019 - To ensure synergy and achievement of maximum legislative impact towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Nigeria, the World Health Organization (WHO) supported the first-ever strategic retreat of Principal Officers of the five Health Committees of the National Assembly (NASS) in Abuja from 4-5 September 2019. 

Maiduguri,  7 September 2019 - Experts from Nigeria and Niger Republic have reviewed cross-border surveillance strategies with a view to ensuring eligible children along inaccessible borders are protected from vaccine preventable diseases including measles and polio.